Snubbed railway truck



2 Sheets-Sheet l J. A. SHAFER SNUBBED RAILWAY TRUCK Oct. 30, 1956 Filed March 16, 1953 24 JNVENTOR. JAMES A SMFEP AZ/vm Oct. 30, 1956 J. A. SHAFER SNUBBED RAILWAY TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1953 INVENTOR. JA MES 4. SHAFER AT OPNEY United States Pa tional Mall'eable and Steel Castings. Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application-March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,511

15 Claims. (.Cl. 105L497) This invention relates to railway car trucks, and more particularly to means for interlocking the bolster and side frames of a car truck.

In certain railway car trucks the side frame thereof is formed with a bolster-receiving opening which is widened at its upper end. When the bolster of this type of car truck is raised to the height of the widened? portion of the bolster opening in the side frame, the guide lugs thereof may bepassed through the opening to permit disassembly of the frame and bolster. In all other vertical positions of the bolster in the bolster opening, the guide lugs overlap the side frame columns, thereby interlocking the bolster and frame.

The present invention provides an interlock between the bolster and side frame of the above-mentioned type, which precludes accidental disengagement or separation of the bolster and side frame, as might possibly occur in caseof a derailment if the bolster is displaced to the widened portion of the opening in the frame. However, when it is desired to disassemble the bolster and side frame, this operation is readily accomplished without the use of special tools orequipment.

More specifically, this invention comprises the provisionof a novel friction member carried by the side frame for engagement with a side of the bolster of the aforementioned truck, the friction member when in operative position having a projection or wing which extends into the widened upper portion of the bolster-receiving opening and will preclude separation of the frame and bolster by engagement with the outer guide lug of the bolster. However, when the friction member is retracted from engagement with the bolster for disassembly purposes, the wing thereof is clear ofthe widened portion of the bolster-receiving opening; thus permitting passage of the bolster guide lug through this opening and allowing separation of the side frame and holster. My invention therefore provides, in a car truck of the built-in friction type, a friction shoe which, when in operative position, preeludes disengagement of the holster and side frame and when. in retracted position, allows separation of these members.

The various features and advantages of the invention willbe apparent from the following description taken in conjunction: with; the drawing, in"- which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a car truck embodying the invention.

Fig. 2- is a. fragmentary elevational view showing the friction member in its-retracted position.

Fig, 3' is-aview taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig; 4 is a sectional view taken along line d of Fig: 1?.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the friction member.

Fig, 6' is a side view of the frictionmember shown in Fig. 5".

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the friction member lookingin the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view. showing the "ice friction member applied to the side frame in reverse position from that shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in which there is shown a car truck of the type disclosed and claimed in my copending applications, Serial No; 756,135, filed June 21, 1947, now Patent No. 2,697,989, and Serial No. 128,153, filed November 18, 1949, now Patent No. 2,712,796, it will be seen that the side frame It? comprises a compression member 12, and tension member 14, which are connected by vertical columns 16 forming therebetween the bolster-receiving opening 18. The upper ends of the columns are spaced part a greater amount than the lower portions thereof to form a widened portion 18a of bolster-receiving opening 18.

The bolster 20, which is of box section, extends into opening 18 and is supported on the frame by means of springs 22 (shown in dot-dash) resting on the spring seat portion 14a of the tension member in the usual manner. The bolster is provided adjacent both columns with outer guide lugs 19 which overlap the portions of columns 16 which are disposed below widened opening 18a, the lugs being of such vertical height as to pass through opening 18a topermit the bolster to be withdrawn from the frame. The bolster is also provided with inner guide lugs 21 which preferably extend the full depth of the bolster and cannot be passed through opening 13a. Thus lugs 21 are adapted to engage the inner sides of columns 16 to limit movement of the bolster outwardly of the side frame for all vertical positions of the bolster relative to the frame. It will be understood that While only one end of the bolster and its associated side frame 1i has been shown, a similar side frame cooperates with the other end of the holster in like manner.

Frictional control of the bolster movements is provided by means of a pair of friction shoes or wedges 24 which are in slidable engagement with the vertical sides of the bolster. Each wedge 24 is urged into engagement with the side of the bolster by a spring 25 in column 16. Wedges 24 are received in pockets 2% in columns 16, each pocket opening toward the bolster and being formed by side walls 3%, transverse longitudinally sloping con necting wall 32, and vertical wall 3 which is a continuation of wall 32. Each Wedge 24 comprises a flat friction face 36 engaging vertically disposed wear plate 38 at the side of the bolster and a vertically crowned wedge face 40 engaging sloping wall 32 in the column. A spring seat 42 is provided between faces as and th for engagement with the lower end of spring 26. The upper end of spring 26 engages seat 44'. on the underside of compression member 12. The spring 25 is under predetermined initial compression to urge friction wedge 24 into engagement with the bolster and with wall 32.

In accordance with my invention, the upper end of friction wedge 24 is formed at its sides with an upwardly extending projection or wing 56? which, as seen in Fig. 1, extends into the widened opening 18a when the wedge is in operative position. Wing 50 comprises side portions. 51 which are preferably reinforced by transversely extending connecting web 52. it will be observed that wing 50 extends a substantial distance into opening 18a and presents a transverse substantially vertical surface 54 facing inwardly of the opening and vertical side surfaces'56 disposed perpendicularly to surface 54. The side surfaces 56 which face the outer side of the frame are disposed inwardly of outer guide lugs 19' on the bolster and are adapted for engagement with these lugs to preclude inward passage of the bolster through opening 18a when the bolster is raised to the height of this opening in which position it otherwise could be moved therethrough. Thus wing Strand lug 19 form a positive interlock between'the bolster and side frame, if the above 3 relationship of the bolster and side frame occurs, to prevent any possible accidental separation therebetween.

As seen in Fig. 3, the upper ends of the columns 16 are provided on their inner walls with upwardly converging strengthening webs 58. The sides of wings 50 have been relieved as at 59 to clear webs 58 to permit retraction of the wedges during assembly and disassembly of the bolster and side frame.

In order to disassemble the bolster and side frame, it is necessary to retract each wedge 24 out of engagement with side of the bolster and retain the wedge in such position. In this connection, each column 16 is provided with a transverse opening 60 in front or outboard wall 30 while wedge 24 is formed with an opening 62 which is partly in line with opening 60. Thus, with the wedge in operative position, as shown in Fig. l, the upper surface of wedge opening 62 is disposed somewhat below the upper surface of opening 60. This permits insertion of a pinch bar or similar implement between the lower surface of opening 60 and the upper surface of opening 62, whereby the wedge may be withdrawn from engagement with the side of the bolster and moved upwardly and rearwardly in pocket 30. As the wedge is retracted, the upper end of opening 66 therein is brought into registry with openings 68 in the outboard and inward walls of the column, thereby permitting insertion of a pin 70 through these openings, as shown in Fig. 2, to maintain the shoe retracted.

To assure that the wedge, when in retracted position, will be in contact with sloping wall 32 the upper surface 72 of opening 66 in the wedge is preferably inclined downwardly with respect to spring seat 42 toward wall 32. The engagement between retaining pin 70 and inclined surface 72 forces the wedge against sloping wall 32 and as seen in Fig. 2 also causes the wedge to assume a somewhat tilted position, thereby assuring that wing 50 will be substantially clear of opening 18a. It will be evident from Fig. 2 that wing 50 in the retracted position of the wedge is withdrawn from the widened opening 18a and will not interfere with movement of guide lug 19 through this opening upon withdrawal of the side frame from assembled relation with the bolster. Upon subsequent assembly of the bolster and side frame and return of the wedges to operating position, the wings 50 will project into opening 18a as shown in Fig. 1.

While wing 50 effectively precludes accidental separation of the side frame and bolster, it also serves as a means of assuring proper application of wedge 24 to the side frame. Although it is possible to apply the wedge in reversed position and retain it in retracted position by means of pin 70, as shown in Fig. 8, it will be impossible to assemble the bolster and side frame due to interference offered by the wedge while in such position. As seen in Fig. 8 the crowned surface 40 of the wedge extends a substantial amount into the bolster-receiving opening 18 while portions 74 and 76 of the wedge and spring 26, respectively, extend into widened opening 18a. These portions of wedge 24 and spring 26 will preclude passage of the bolster through openings 18 and 18a and will therefore serve as an indication that the wedge has been incorrectly applied.

While the invention has been shown as applied to a side frame in which the bolster-receiving opening is widened at its upper end, it will be apparent that the invention may be applied to a car truck having a side frame in which the bolster-receiving opening is widened at its lower end. It will be understood that in such case the friction system as shown herein will be suitably transposed so that the friction wedge members thereof will be urged upwardly against the sides of the bolster.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. In a car truck a side frame having a bolster-receiving opening, a bolster extending into said opening and being resiliently supported on said frame, friction means carried by said frame and being in slidable engagement with said bolster, said means having a projection extending into said opening and being engageable with said bolster to preclude withdrawal of said bolster from said frame when said bolster is in a given position relative to the frame, said means being retractable from engagement with said bolster to a position in which said projection is clear of said opening.

2. In a car truck a side frame comprising a compression member, a tension member and spaced columns joining said members and forming therebetween a bolster-receiving opening, a bolster extending into said opening, portions of said columns being spaced apart a greater amount than adjacent portions thereof to form a widened portion of said opening, said bolster having a guide lug for overlapping said adjacent portions of one of said columns, said lug being passable through the widened portion of said opening to permit separation of said frame and bolster, and retractable friction means carried by said frame and being in slidable engagement with said bolster, said means having a projection extending into the widened portion of said opening, said projection being engageable with said lug to prevent passage of said bolster through the widened portion of said opening, said means being retractable to a position in which said projection is substantially clear of the widened portion of said opening to permit passage of said bolster therethrough.

3. In a car truck a side frame having a bolster-receiving opening, a bolster extending into said opening and being resiliently supported on said frame, said opening being widened at its upper end, said bolster having a guide lug overlapping a portion of said frame and being passable through the widened end of said opening to permit separation of said frame and bolster, and a friction member carried by said frame and being in slidable engagement with a side of said bolster, said member having a projection extending into the widened end of said opening, said projection being engageable with said lug to prevent passage of said lug through the widened end of said opening, said member being retractable to a position in which said projection is substantially clear of the widened end of said opening to permit passage of said lug therethrough.

4. In a car truck a side frame comprising a compression member, a tension member, and spaced columns joining said members and forming therebetween a bolsterreeeiving opening, a bolster extending into said opening and being resiliently supported on said frame, said columns being spaced apart a greater distance at the upper ends thereof to form a widened portion of said opening, said bolster having a pair of guide lugs overlapping said columns below the widened portion of said opening, said lugs being passable through the widened portion to permit separation of said frame and bolster, and friction members carried by said columns and being in slidable engagement with the sides of said bolster, each of said friction members having a projection extending into the widened portion of said opening, said projection being engageable with one of said lugs to prevent passage of said lug through the widened portion, said friction members being movable out of engagement with the sides of said bolster to positions in which said projection of each member is substantially clear of the widened portion of said opening to permit passage of said lugs therethrough.

5. In a car truck a side frame having a bolster-receiving opening, a bolster extending into said opening, said opening being widened at its upper end, said bolster having guide lugs for engagement with portions of the outboard side of said frame disposed below the widened end of said opening, said lugs being passable through the widened end of said opening to permit separation of said frame and bolster, and retractable friction members carried by said frame slidably engaging the sides of said bolster and having portions extending into the widened end of said opening to preclude passage of said lugs therethrough, said members being retractable away from the sides of said bolster to positions in which said portions of said members are substantially withdrawn from the widened end of said opening to permit passage of said lugs therethrough.

6. In a car truck a side frame comprising a column partly defining a bolster-receiving opening, said opening being widened adjacent the upper end of said column, a bolster extending into said opening, said column having a pocket opening toward a side of said bolster, and a friction member in said pocket and engaging a side of said bolster, said member having a projection extending into the widened part of said opening, said bolster having a guide lug overlapping a portion of said column and being passable through the widened part of said opening to enable separation of said frame and bolster, said projection precluding separation of said frame and bolster when said member is in engagement with said bolster side, said member being retractable into said pocket to a position in which said projection is substantially withdrawn from the widened part of said opening to enable passage therethrough of said lug and permit separation of said frame and bolster.

7. A friction wedge member for a car truck, comprising a bolster-engaging surface, a side frame engaging surface, and two side surfaces, a spring-engaging seat between said surfaces, and a projection extending from said member, said projection providing an abutment portion disposed intermediate the planes of said side surfaces of said member for engagement with the guide lug of an associated bolster to preclude separation of the bolster and associated side frame.

8. A friction wedge member for a car truck, having at one end thereof a pair of converging surfaces, one of said surfaces being engageable with the vertical side of an associated bolster, the other of said surfaces being engageable with a sloping wall of an associated side frame, and a projecting portion at the other end thereof, said projecting portion having an abutment surface disposed in spaced relation to said surfaces and being engageable with the guide lug of an associated bolster to preclude separation of the bolster and associated side frame.

9. A friction member for a car truck comprising a wedge portion converging surfaces and a projecting portion having an abutment surface spaced inwardly of a side of said wedge portion, said abutment surface being engageable with the guide lug of an associated bolster to preclude separation of the bolster and associated side frame.

10. In a car truck comprising a side frame and a bolster resiliently supported on said frame, means for preventing separation of said frame and bolster, said means comprising a retractable member carried by said frame and being in frictional engagement with a side of said bolster, said member having a projection engageable with a guide lug of said bolster when the latter is in a given vertical position relative to said frame, said member being retractable away from said bolster to a position in which said projection is out of engageable position with the bolster guide lug.

11. In a car truck comprising a side frame and a bolster resiliently supported on said frame, said frame and bolster being separable when said bolster is in a given vertical position relative to said frame, a friction member carried by said frame and being in slidable engagement with a side of said bolster, said member having means thereon engageable with a guide lug on said bolster to prevent separation of said frame and bolster when the latter is in said given position, said member being retractable from engagement with said bolster to a position in which said means is out of engageable position with the bolster guide lug.

12. In a car truck a side frame having a bolster-receiving opening and a column partly defining said opening, said opening having a widened portion, said column having side walls joined by a sloping transverse wall forming therebetween a pocket facing said opening, a friction wedge member in said pocket and engaging said transverse wall, said member having a substantially vertical surface for engagement with a side of an associated bolster, spring means carried by said frame urging said member against said wall and bolster side, said member having means extending into said widened portion of said opening, said means being engageable with the guide lug of an associated bolster to prevent separation of said frame and bolster, said member being retractable into said pocket to a position in which said means is substantially clear of said widened portion of said opening.

13. In a car truck a side frame having a pair of spaced columns partly defining a bolster-receiving opening, the columns being spaced apart a greater amount in the upper end of said opening, a bolster extending into said opening and being resiliently supported on said frame, said bolster having guide lugs engageable with the outboard side of said columns below the upper end of said opening, said lugs being passable through the upper end of said opening during assembly and dissassembly of said frame and bolster, each of said columns comprising side walls joined by a transverse sloping wall forming therebetween a pocket facing said opening, a friction wedge member in each pocket engaging said sloping wall and a side of said bolster, said member having a projection extending into said widened end of said opening and being engageable with the associated one of said guide lugs to prevent separation of said frame and bolster, said member being retractable into said pocket to a position in which said projection is substantially clear of said widened end of said opening.

14. A car truck comprising a side frame having a compression member, a tension member and spaced columns forming therebetween a bolster-receiving opening, the spacing of said columns being greater at the upper end thereof to form a widened portion of said opening, a bolster extending into said opening and being resiliently supported on said frame, said bolster having outer guide lugs overlapping said columns below said widened portion of said opening, said lugs being passable through said widened portion of said opening to permit separation of said frame and bolster during assembly and disassembly thereof, each of said columns having a wall sloping upwardly and away from a side of said bolster, a friction wedge engaging said wall and a side of said bolster, spring means urging said wedge into said engagement with said well and bolster, said Wedge having means extending into said widened portion of said opening when said wedge is in operative position to prevent passage therethrough of the associated one of said bolster guide lugs, said wedge being retractable upwardly along said wall to a position in which said means is substantially withdrawn from said widened portion of said opening.

15. A friction wedge member for a car truck comprising a wedge portion having converging surfaces and an upwardly extending wing portion, said wing portion comprising side portions and a web connecting said side portions, at least one of said side portions having an abutment surface for engagement with a guide lug on an associated bolster.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,396,796 Lounsbury Mar. 19, 1946 2,458,210 Schlegel Jan. 4, 1949 2,485,104 Maatman Oct. 18, 1949 2,575,137 Settles Nov. 13, 1951 

